The comparison doesn't mention the nudity in the nightclub scene. I think this is because the source they used for the US version is the MOD DVD from MGM which despite having the PG rating on the packaging has the nude scenes from the French version in it. The nudity was not in the original US version.
Last edited by whiteberry; 10-24-2023 at 07:59 PM.
It was released on blu-ray last week in France by Gaumont:
Reviews (the first two are Google translations):
Quote:
The French version has been restored from the original 35mm negative. The "international" master uses this same source, alternated with the English segments, scanned from an interpositive from the American version. Its reconstruction was a long-term task, carried out based on a 35mm projection copy, subtitled in French. The whole has been stabilized and carefully cleaned, there are no traces of wear remaining on the image. In terms of image precision, the result is very satisfactory since care has been taken to maintain a high level of detail. The line is fine, the textures of skin or clothing are clearly palpable. Grain management follows this trend with fine and often abundant granulation, for a result faithful to a silver reproduction. Note that the two edits were encoded separately to disk, which limits the video bitrate but not so much as to trap a solid encode. On the colorimetry side, however, the rendering poses some problems, in particular because of certain reels which have changed over time. Some passages could not be saved from a more or less pronounced magenta cast and above all from a color palette which was significantly reduced. Certain shots are particularly affected, like here where the decor (fabrics and woodwork) seems entirely impacted by the same tone. More generally, because the problems with the film stock obviously do not occur to the same extent on the entire film, the calibration remains honest but can still be improved. We will regret an often limited saturation (which could have been corrected a little) and especially faces that are regularly too pink to be honest, the result of too clear a neutralization of the original yellow/green nuances of the film in order to obtain pure whites ( which, remember, are not in photochemistry where they are rather "off-white"), which mechanically raises the complementary color (magenta) on the color wheel. A few downsides, therefore, even if the result is better than what was offered to us until now (see comparison below). With the exception of a few rare subtleties ( like here ), there is no real difference in calibration between the two montages.
A rather long-term project at Gaumont and VDM, this re-release of Un homme est mort on Blu-ray, based on a new 4K restoration made from the original negatives. Long term because certain scenes in the film were shot twice (once in French and once in English), and the resulting edits also did not have the same image format (1.66 for the French edit, 1.85 for American assembly). It is also interesting to note in the bonus with Olivier Père the presence of extracts from the calibrated scans of the credits without special effects and not cropped (we have included a few captures allowing us to see the complete frame, and to compare to the 1.66 and 1.85).
Regardless, the restoration very quickly shows its freshness and the fact that it is based on the negative. Finesse and naturalness are there, both in the wide shots and the tighter shots, but the rendering is sometimes a little floating in the textures, like a little variable, with passages (the night scenes for example – capture 5) thicker. We will also note a small difference in finesse between the passages specific to the American edit and those specific to the French edit, with rather a slight advantage to the American edit.
On the other hand, the calibration is sometimes very very neutral, particularly in certain indoor scenes (capture 1). It is however quite variable, with other scenes much less neutralized even if the skin tones most often remain a little old school and very “neutralized pink” (capture 10). It is also interesting to note that the passages differing between the two montages are not calibrated in the same way: the French montage remains neutral whereas the American montage is regularly bluer (captures 3 and 6). The contrast/brightness couple, on the other hand, seems rather adequately managed, with a contrasty rendering but without excess, avoiding both being too brutal and on the contrary giving a veiled or dull image (although we may find some shots appearing very slightly lacking). saturation – capture 7).
Basically, it seems that the film has certain scenes that were shot in both in English and French, and both cuts of the film were remastered in 4K from the original camera negatives by Gaumont and VDM in France. The French version is presented in 1.66:1, while the English version is 1.85:1. The difference in run times seems to be less than a minute, so perhaps seagal is thinking of the US PG cut of the film, which apparently deletes some scenes, including one in a strip club with full-frontal nudity. Although the MGM DVD-R says it runs 105 minutes, it is also said to have the aforementioned nudity, so I am guessing the 105-minute run time is a misprint and the DVD-R actually runs 110/111 minutes.
Gaumont placed both cuts (~222 minutes) on a single BD-50 with almost 60 minutes of video extras, with the result that both cuts get about 20 GB of space. There are only French / French SDH subtitles, so the Gaumont disc is not fully English-friendly.
Presumably, Kino's Blu-ray will come from Gaumont's restoration and either include only the English language version or both versions, hopefully on two discs if that is the case.
The color grade is, quite predictably, bad. It dials in turquoise, it dials out primary blue -- a common flaw on modern (re)masters. In many places, gamma levels are off, so the dynamic range of the visuals is skewed as well. It is hard to tell if this is how the film was "restored", or the master finalized, but it is what you will see on the French Blu-ray release.
You speculate that there is an error on the U.S. DVD release, but there isn't. The running time is 105 minutes. MGM's master is very nice -- for a DVD release. If there is a high-definition master with the same color grade, it would be an excellent alternative to the French restoration.
The difference in quality -- and not in favor of the French restoration -- is very similar to what you would observe between the two presentations of Rene Clement's Rider on the Rain. One of these presentations is not right.
Today I got the new French blu-ray of "The Outside Man" with Jean Louis Trintignant, Roy Scheider, Ann Margret and Angie Dickinson. The picture quality is much better than the US-DVD but it has the problem that all French blu-rays have: the color scheme is often not realistic, especially blue tones are always turquoise.
It will be interesting to know if Kino Lorber won´t change anything or will do a color correction.
What about the actual movie itself? Reviews are...not good.
its excellent. Hangs right there with the best of the period. Its a good one for anyone's collection. Its highly rewatchable. Its a great snapshot of LA, and even though you know where its headed, it keeps you watching. Scheider and Ann Margaret are better than usual. Angie Dickinson is in her prime. Throw in John Hillerman and Alex Rocco for the win.
Soundtrack is fantastic. Get it maybe just for the soundtrack - Michel Legrand.
I love the moment he learns that he's been "checked out" without knowing it, left high and dry, and he understands everything is falling apart around him, and he doesn't even bat an eye.
THE OUTSIDE MAN (1972) Un Homme est Mort
• Newly Restored – From 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson
• Includes the Uncut Versions of THE OUTSIDE MAN (In English) and UN HOMME EST MORT (In French)
• THE OUTSIDE MAN – Theatrical Trailer
• UN HOMME EST MORT – Theatrical Trailer
• Reversible Art
• Limited Edition O-Card Slipcase
• Two Dual-Layered BD50 Discs
• Optional English Subtitles
Color 115/114 Minutes 1.85:1/1.66:1 Not Rated
Jacques Deray (The Outsider) directed this gritty seventies action-classic featuring an iconic cast which includes Jean-Louis Trintignant (The Conformist), Ann-Margret (52 Pick-Up), Roy Scheider (Marathon Man), Angie Dickinson (Dressed to Kill), Michel Constantin (The Cop), Umberto Orsini (Violent City) and Ted de Corsia (The Killing) as they battle each other for their lives from the back alleys of downtown Los Angeles to the posh mansions of Beverly Hills. Trintignant is a hit man imported from Paris to kill L.A.’s biggest mafia boss. His unknown employer: the mafia boss’s own son and the son’s beautiful wife (Dickinson). Having done his job, the hit man looks for his reward. It comes, in the form of another hit man (Scheider), sent in to kill him and thus remove any links to the murder. Sexy Ann-Margret is Trintignant’s only ally as he and Scheider play a murderous game of cat-and-mouse. Nail-biting suspense, exciting high-speed chases and one of the most unique and climactic gun battles ever filmed are only part of The Outside Man, boasting an ultra-cool score by Michel Legrand (The Thomas Crown Affair). The amazing cast also includes Jackie Earle Haley, John Hillerman, Alex Rocco, Talia Shire, Carmen Argenziano and Georgia Engel.
What about the actual movie itself? Reviews are...not good.
Really fun movie. It’s used quite a bit in Thom Anderson’s Los Angeles Plays Itself. Especially interesting to see Venice Beach just before it became prime real estate and it was mostly occupied by students with limited budgets and retirees
Really fun movie. It’s used quite a bit in Thom Anderson’s Los Angeles Plays Itself. Especially interesting to see Venice Beach just before it became prime real estate and it was mostly occupied by students with limited budgets and retirees
Good to know on the 'LA Plays Itself' front - I was thinking a '70's LA set hitman movie with Roy Schieder would be a no-brainer for me. I'm sold.
Glad to be able to finally retire this site soon and not have to monitor for finishing up my library with these niche films. Blu is the end of the road for me, I just want to avoid having to deal with streaming/sub to watch the classics.
Glad to be able to finally retire this site soon and not have to monitor for finishing up my library with these niche films. Blu is the end of the road for me, I just want to avoid having to deal with streaming/sub to watch the classics.
BD is the end for me, too.
I was collecting VHS from 1986 to 2005. I've been collecting DVD from 2000 to the present. And I've been collecting blu ray from 2010 to the present.
There's still quite a few things I'd like a blu ray upgrade of.
But I haven't gone, nor am I likely to go, 4K, anytime soon. Maybe never.
I've re-collected hundreds, even thousands, or titles again and again. I'm so old that I'm simply not going to start a collection all over again, now.
I mainly watch films from pre-2010s, mostly even pre-2000s. The biggest part of my collection(s) are films from the 60s, 70s, and 80s (or even older). Not many new films.
Blu ray, on a good big 1080p TV, via HDMI cable, still looks great enough to my old eyes.
I was collecting VHS from 1986 to 2005. I've been collecting DVD from 2000 to the present. And I've been collecting blu ray from 2010 to the present.
There's still quite a few things I'd like a blu ray upgrade of.
But I haven't gone, nor am I likely to go, 4K, anytime soon. Maybe never.
I've re-collected hundreds, even thousands, or titles again and again. I'm so old that I'm simply not going to start a collection all over again, now.
I mainly watch films from pre-2010s, mostly even pre-2000s. The biggest part of my collection(s) are films from the 60s, 70s, and 80s (or even older). Not many new films.
We are twins! That was the golden age for me, at least.
I just got an email from Amazon saying that delivery of this item has been delayed "due to supply chain issues." They have not provided a new delivery date. Major bummer!
I just got an email from Amazon saying that delivery of this item has been delayed "due to supply chain issues." They have not provided a new delivery date. Major bummer!
Kino direct still hasn't got their copies in which usually ships Kino titles before anyone else. I would imagine it will be a few weeks before any retailers get this.
Sorry to hear that. I know its not helpful to your situation, but for reference I just got an email from Kino today that "Your order has just been approved for packing".
Well, 10 min in......and Im already loving the intro to the French version so much more. I think its so perfect and courageous that they stripped out the song and just went quiet over LA, then kick in the "theme" on the freeway.....I kept checking my audio to see what was wrong....
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The Outside Man (1972) coming from Kino on January 9
The running time is 105 minutes. MGM's master is very nice -- for a DVD release. If there is a high-definition master with the same color grade, it would be an excellent alternative to the French restoration.
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